pow-wow

Last weekend K and I went to a pow-wow. What a cool thing, I can't believe that I have never searched this out before. I think we stood there for 4 hours with our mouths wide open. The costumes, and the dancing and the singing, and the drums OH the drums. I still have the beat in my head, and it's been a week. Here is a little video I made of some of the dancing and with a recording Kyle caught on my iphone.





I was a little camera shy... but I did manage to get a couple good ones.



Ok, see the little boy on the left side? This image was taken during the singing/drum competition, and this little guy was competing along side these men. He watched the caller like a hawk to be sure he was singing the right thing, I have never seen anyone put as much heart and soul into singing. When they finished the song he did a little fist bump with all the men.

light... and the way it falls upon things

I can not begin to describe my fascination with light, and to repeat myself, the way it falls upon things ESPECIALLY in low light situations. This is what speaks to my soul. I would say that overall, that is the thing that I aspire to capture in my photos. it makes me happy.

This weekend one of our drummers, tim, came to visit us here in Richmond and play a couple of shows. We also picked up a local bass player so we are officially ready to rock...
We had 2 shows in the Baltimore area (and as a side note, I have really come to like Baltimore). The show on fri night was at a place called The Golden West Cafe, sweet cafe by day, rock club by night, gotta love it!



On Sat we returned to Richmond in time to catch the tail end of the Brunswick Stew Festival, and then to watch our friends Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, and David Shultz and the Skyline at the Canal Club.

The Portland Cello Project opened the night. beautiful.

These were taken here in Richmond, at Havana '59 down in Shockoe Bottom.

ZOMBIES!!!!!

Last Saturday the annual Zombie Walk took over Carytown here in Richmond. So basically people dress up like Zombies, and walk the streets, in a parade of such, stopping only for red lights, and the promise of brains.

At the end of the parade... they gather... and this one gave me a finger?

I love this place.
The Circuit City Zombies were my favorite... conceptually speaking.

With finger in tow, K and I headed to the galaxy dinner and feasted on fried pickles, fried green tomatoes, fried mozzarella sticks, french fries and beer. We ARE a pillar of health.
The Galaxy Dinner. btw, they have a meal called the "knock me up scotty" that includes fried pickles and ranch, a hard boiled egg and a scoop of ice cream... can anyone explain this?

reading days

There were no classes Thurs. or Friday this week at VCU for a little mid-semester break called "reading days"... I love reading days. We went up to Baltimore on Thurs. evening to see some of our friends The Flying Eyes, open up for the Black Angels, and The Raveonettes, it was such a GREAT show, and fun to get out of Richmond for day. I must say that the Raveonettes show possibly was the loudest thing I have ever EVER heard. Even though we might have had some slight hearing damage, Im so glad I got to see them live.

We stayed in this great old Victorian Hotel downtown called the Biltmore. A perfect escape from your typical hotel experience. These was looking out our window at a Cathedral next door.

It was rainy, and freakin' cold so we didn't get to do much exploring BUT...
we did get to check out this awesome place. The very John Waters-esque Paper moon diner.

sunday adventure

In one of my graduate classes, we have been asked to have an adventure a day, for 50 days, and it is outlined what adventures that we are supposed to have within these 50 days... the first adventure was with an insect. Sunday the adventure took me, along with my companion to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, here in Richmond. What an amazingly beautiful place. I must admit the butterflies... LIVE was my favorite. (Im currently trying to put a little video together, i'll share soon!)







After our morning at the gardens we checked out THIS doc film at the beautiful Byrd Theater. This place is a treasure.